December 2011
2 posts
Dec 20, 1996: Apple acquires Next, Jobs →
In a stunning move, Apple Computer (AAPL) said tonight that it will purchase Next Software in a $400 million deal that will bring former Apple CEO Steve Jobs back to the company he cofounded.
The single most important decision in the history of Apple Inc.
An iPhone Lover’s Take On The Galaxy Nexus →
MG Siegler:
Unfortunately, the system still lacks much of the fine polish that iOS users enjoy. The majority of Android users will probably think such criticism is bullshit, but that has always been the case. I imagine it’s probably hard for a Mercedes owner to describe to a Honda owner how attention to detail makes their driving experience better when both machines get them from point A to...
November 2011
1 post
Kindle Fire, A Grown-Up E-Reader With Tablet Spark →
Walt Mossberg:
When compared to the iPad 2, I suspect the Fire will appeal to people on a budget and to those who envision using the iPad mainly to consume content, as opposed to those who see the larger tablet as a partial laptop replacement. For instance, while the Fire has a decent Web browser and a rudimentary email program, it lacks basic built-in apps, such as a calendar, notepad or...
September 2011
1 post
“I want you all to give a hand to someone that you know whose health is very bad...”
– Stevie Wonder, an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist.
August 2011
7 posts
Designers vs Coding
viafrank:
“Do I need to know how to code?” is a question that comes up with sure-fire consistency in design circles. I’ve seen it asked by so many, from uncertain design students in classrooms worried about their chances of landing a job, to seasoned professionals at conferences seeing their pool of print projects slowly evaporate. The question is being asked with even greater frequency as of...
1 tag
“There are two kinds of people in the world, those who believe there are two...”
– Robert Benchley’s Law of Distinction
“Vesting jurisdiction over the length and breadth of the government machinery in...”
– Aruna Roy, Social Activist.
Facebook Groups is a better approach than Google...
There are two types of relationships: One that is not bound by time & place - family, high school classmates, friends from previous workplaces. One that is bound either time or place - friends, people sharing hobbies, neighbors, friends from current workplace, commute friends. In the first group, the underlying relationship is the same but the degree of the relationship is different. My...
What are some good user feedback management tools?
There are a few factors that you need to consider before selecting the feedback forums: How to integrate with your website - embed code vs. redirect URL vs. downloaded software Where is data stored - on your servers vs. vendors’ servers Who can post - anyone vs. your users [single sign-on] Who can read - anyone vs. your users [single sign-on] Integration with your ticketing system Cost -...
Facebook Messenger: Unlike SMS and Chat
In the recent past, mobile apps such as Kik Messenger, GroupMe and Beluga (company) became popular because it allowed smartphone users to communicate across mobile platforms. Facebook has a plethora of apps including Facebook Messages in their Facebook Mobile offerings for iOS and Android (OS). However, Messages probably did not see much traction hence Facebook acquired Beluga and released a...
1 tag
What's next for Twitter? Commerce.
I am borrowing the title from Rangaprabhu Parthasarathy who blogged about what Twitter Inc. (company) could do next. I see my post as a continuation to his post [http://www.rangaprabhu.com/blog/?p=476] and will not be talking about promoted tweets but about enabling commerce on the platform. Twitter started of as a mass-SMSer and has evolved since then to a micro-blogging website with the ability...
June 2011
2 posts
iOS 5: Twitter Integration & iCloud APIs for...
When Apple announced that the next version of iOS software will have deep integration of Twitter & iCloud in the OS, it positioned it as a benefit to the consumers of iOS devices. It did not talk in detail about what it meant for iOS developers. Apple knows iOS developers are smart to figure it out. Twitter Integration Deep integration of Twitter in the OS will enable apps to use...
2 tags
Why is Apple upgrading the quality of iTunes Match...
ITunes Match automatically syncs any music stored in your iTunes library for you to listen to on other devices, including your Mac, iPhone, iPod or iPad. Apple kindly plays back the music as 256-kilobyte files, as Apple says on its Web site, “even if your original copy was of lower quality.” It is just going to give you that, though some people will pay $25 a year for the service. That’s twice...
May 2011
11 posts
1 tag
Square's CardCase is not NFC but an innovative...
When Google announced NFC offerings last week, there were reports that compared the service to Square and its new offering the Card Case. The only commonality I see is that both services operate in the mobile payments market but that is it. There is a lot of difference in the way they function. For starters, Google Wallet replaces the credit card with the mobile phone while Square’s...
3 tags
Re: The Truth About Square by Ed Oswald
I’ve taken a look at the app and its kind of disappointing. First off there’s no barcode support at all, thus this is useless for just about any business outside of restaurants. There’s also no easy way to run end-of-day reports — something most bookkeepers will tell you that is necessary to make sure your books are straight. Businesses need point-of-sale systems to be fully functional, and...
The Truth About Download Time
We started by confirming one of our hypotheses: all users rated the speed of the 10 web sites consistently; they thought Amazon.com, REI.com, and L.L. Bean.com were the fastest and About.com was the slowest. Despite having performed different tasks on these sites, users were consistent in their reports of perceived speed. Our other finding, though, took us entirely by surprise. When we...
1 tag
AppleInsider: Sandy Bridge, Thunderbolt MacBook...
via appleinsider.com My next Mac :)
2 tags
Meet instagr.am, the new flickr!
via instagram.com Instagram is one of the most popular photography apps available on the iOS App Store. The app allows users to capture pictures, apply filters and share it with the world. It is for mobile devices what flickr did years ago for the desktop. There are many interesting apps built on the Instagram API. Give it a try, its free!
Apple Design
I am watching OMG/JK podcast and MG Siegler ridicules Google TV devices that have physical keyboards. Since I was watching the podcast on my Apple TV, I looked at the Remote app I use to control my Apple TV. It is designed such that you don’t have to look at your iPhone screen to control the Apple TV. This make sense given that the TV is 10 feet away. It would be difficult to look at the...
1 tag
Small-business cash register comes to iPad in Pose
via youtube.com Pose is a new kind of cash register for small retail stores. It runs on the iPad, but it does inventory control and a lot more via the cloud. In this video, Robert Scoble, author scobleizer.com, interviews Guy Marcus, co-founder and CEO of Pose. To learn about Pose, visit www.getpose.com.
Poor economics: The bread line | The Economist
via economist.com It is disheartening to know that 75% of Rural India lives on less than $2 (Rs. 100) per year.
1 tag
The New Yorker and the iPad
We can now offer subscriptions on the iPad, and we can give our U.S. and Canadian print subscribers access to iPad issues at no additional cost. Before long, we hope to be able to give the same access to international subscribers beyond Canada and to existing digital-only subscribers.via newyorker.com Magazine subscriptions on iPad are gaining popularity. New Yorker on iPad will be available...
Bank of America now has a native iOS app!
BoA was one of the first apps in the app store and until now they had a embedded mobile site as the iPhone app. Their latest update makes it a native app. Late but finally!
What happened to flickr's design?
At the start of Web 2.0 era, flickr was one of the prominent websites that inspired people to design future products. Over time, they seem to have lost their way and ended up with a design as bad as that depicted in the video below.
Screen_Recording.mov Watch on Posterous
The flickr picture featured in the video is one of the most popular pictures and has be liked over 4300 times within three...
April 2011
6 posts
1 tag
News.me: What are your friend's reading?
via news.me There are many apps that collate and present links shared by friends and people you follow. News.me take a different approach - it presents what your friends and the people you follow are reading based on the Bitly links they click on. Try it…its awesome!
2 tags
Apple Reports Second Quarter Results
CUPERTINO, California—April 20, 2011—Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2011 second quarter ended March 26, 2011. The Company posted record second quarter revenue of $24.67 billion and record second quarter net profit of $5.99 billion, or $6.40 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $13.50 billion and net quarterly profit of $3.07 billion, or $3.33 per diluted...
Cisco To Shut Down Flip Video Camera Business;...
Wow. Cisco has just issued a release stating that in a strategic plan to “align its operations,” the company will exit parts of its consumer businesses and realign the remaining consumer business to support four of its five key company priorities: core routing, switching and services; collaboration; architectures; and video. One of the casualties of this realignment: Cisco’s video camera Flip...
Could Bing Overtake Google in 2012?
via mashable.com Bing must be doing something right. Relevance of search results is still behind Google but probably the many feature improvements are helping Bing.
1 tag
Steve Jobs Authorized Biography Coming in 2012
Just as he did with Einstein and Benjamin Franklin, Walter Isaacson is telling a unique story of revolutionary genius. via abcnews.go.com Now there is more than one thing (Apple) that is common between Albert Einstein and Steve Jobs. Probably the reason Steve Jobs was willing to work with Isaacson on his biography.
1 tag
Are you wasting time?
Why? Because wasting time is big business. We spend billions, if not trillions, wasting time. Just ask the travel industry. Or the gaming industry. Or the movie industry. Or the music industry. Or the skiing industry. via scobleizer.com Robert Scoble on Social Networking websites and why its a big business to waste time.
March 2011
3 posts
3 tags
Amazon Appstore for Android
via amazon.com The dirty way of getting apps on your Android devices, courtesy Amazon. Amazon is basically asking the user to ignore all warnings by the OS. Will Amazon release an app store for jail broken iOS devices? PS: the installation instructions on its website is one giant image, come on Amazon you can do better!
1 tag
Struggling States Try to Get Amazon to Collect...
Meanwhile, last fall, Texas officials sent Amazon a tax bill for $269 million, after determining that the retailer’s Dallas-area warehouse, owned by a subsidiary, qualified as a local address under state tax rules. Amazon had argued for years that without stores and offices in the state, it had no obligation to collect sales tax there. The dispute is to be decided in a coming administrative...
Why wont Tableau Desktop support Mac OS X?
Tableau uses a notebook that is similar to a MacBook though their software can run only on a PC running Windows OS!
February 2011
17 posts
1 tag
Google Pulls VoiceMail App in Possible In-App...
…If you want to collect fees after the free trial expires, you must collect all fees for the full version of the Product through the Payment Processor on the Market. In this Agreement, “free” means there are no charges or fees of any kind for use of the Product. All fees received by Developers for Products distributed via the Market must be processed by the Market’s Payment Processor. via...
3 tags
Full-screen apps in Lion | New notification...
via apple.com Apple is advertising full-screen apps in Mac OS X Lion similar to current iPad apps. Will a new notification system be introduced in Lion for apps such as Mail, Calendar reminders and IM when running in background?
1 tag
Apple's MobileMe to be made free?
via apple.com Apple has removed purchasing options for MobileMe service from its website. However, users can sign up for a 60-day trial. Does this mean MobileMe will be offered for free in the next 60 days?
3 tags
Mac OS X Lion built for Macbook Air?
via apple.com From the Mac OS X Lion marketing pages on Apple, it gives a feeling that Lion was built to power the MacBook Air. Coincidentally, the marketing pages were released the same day the new Sandybridge-based MacBook Pros were launched. There are a lot of interesting features in Lion that I am thinking of signing up for a Developer account!
3 tags
Lifelike Craig HD: Craigslist for iPad for iPad on...
via itunes.apple.com Craigslist killed the newspaper Classifieds market, now an iPad app that presents Craigslist posts similar to a Classified section on a newspaper.
1 tag
Jobs: New In-App Subscription Rules Just for...
via gigaom.com Good news for Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, Spotify and other media streaming services since they are not publishers.
1 tag
It’s not Apple’s fault the publishing industry is...
via loopinsight.com Spot on, Jim.
1 tag
An Open Letter to Apple: Readability
Readability’s model is unique in that 70% of our service fees go directly to writers and publishers. If we implemented In App purchasing, your 30% cut drastically undermines a key premise of how Readability works. via blog.readability.com Readability’s new service depends on two parts - JS to remove the clutter on the webpage and another Instatpaper-like feature where users can queue up...
3 tags
My Response to Avner Ronen on why I am selling my...
Boxee is technically a great product but it does not offer a good user experience. Here is why: Inconsistent user experience - VUDU and Netflix have custom experiences unlike on Apple TV where iTunes and Netflix look and work the same, so is the case with MobileMe, flickr and Youtube. The Boxee Browser is not customized for a 10-foot experience - the web pages show up with native resolution....
1 tag
Why Are You People Defending Apple?: Jason Kincaid
As you’ve doubtless heard by now, yesterday Apple revealed its new fee structure for premium content: all apps that offer premium content outside of the App Store have to also offer it via Apple’s official in-app purchases (this includes Amazon’s Kindle) and Apple takes a 30% cut of all subscriptions. via techcrunch.com JK has presented this article with the assumption that publishers have...
1 tag
Google Announces Payment System for Digital...
When publishers use One Pass, which for now is limited to online newspapers and magazines, Google will keep 10 percent of the sale price and share the customer’s name, zip code and e-mail address, unless the customer specifically asks Google not to. via nytimes.com I was thinking Apple would take a 10% cut when they launch the subscription service and limit it to digital content (newspapers,...
2 tags
Apple’s Big Subscription Bet: Brilliant, Brazen,...
Apple clearly knew this announcement would spark controversy, and you can see that very plainly in Apple’s press release today. Just look at the quote included, from no less than CEO Steve Jobs: “Our philosophy is simple—when Apple brings a new subscriber to the app, Apple earns a 30 percent share; when the publisher brings an existing or new subscriber to the app, the publisher keeps 100...
2 tags
iPhoto on iPad
It is no brainer that Apple will soon launch an iPhoto application for iOS devices or replace the existing Photo application with iPhoto. The ‘11 version in full screen feels like a native iOS app. Editing pictures on iPhoto might just work well for most of us given than pictures can be imported from SD card using the 30-pin adapter. It would be exciting if it allows syncing with online...
1 tag
Apple Launches Subscriptions on the App Store
Subscriptions purchased from within the App Store will be sold using the same App Store billing system that has been used to buy billions of apps and In-App Purchases. Publishers set the price and length of subscription (weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, bi-yearly or yearly). Then with one-click, customers pick the length of subscription and are automatically charged based on their chosen...
1 tag
Apple Set to Become Samsung's Biggest Customer...
The paper also said that Samsung will supply Apple with liquid crystal displays, mobile application processors and NAND flash memory chips used for the U.S. company’s iPhones and iPads.
via macrumors.com
LCD displays for TVs?!
3 tags
HP announces HP TouchPad - their entry to the...
via palm.com HP Touchpad resembles iPad to a great extent but it is also the next best thing after iPad. They still have the Palm value system in design and aesthetics. Wishing Palm a home run this time!
1 tag
Tap Tap Revenge Scam!
Atleast 1000 Android users got scammed by this app that was actually a wallpaper of the popular Tap Tap Revenge game. Google proudly announced that the official ’Tap Tap Revenge’ game was out in the market and users would have bought this without paying much attention to detail.
Wonder what iPhone Top 100 Apps is doing on Android Market. Though I searched for Tap Tap Revenge, an...
